This invention relates to the field of security and more specifically the prevention of the forgery of an identification card or the like.
Photo identification cards have been provided by many years to enable identification of the bearer of the card. One well-known example is a driver's license bearing the photo of the bearer. In many countries of the world, citizenship I.D. cards are issued to each citizen for positive identification purposes. Security is enhanced by employing a fingerprint in conjunction with a photo. In one form of I.D. card, a photograph of the bearer is taken and a thumb print of the bearer is recorded upon the back of the photograph, which is thereafter fitted into an aperture formed within an inner card portion, which also bears other information, such as the name of the bearer, etc. The inner card portion is thereafter laminated between two sheets of transparent plastic by heat and pressure. While it is difficult to de-laminate the card to substitute a forged inner card, such de-lamination can be carried out. One approach of forging an I.D. card is to de-laminate the outer plastic sheets and substitute another photograph of the person desiring to own such a forged card, in place of the photograph of the legitimate bearer, previously positioned within the originally-issued card. It is possible to perform this step by having the original fingerprint of the original card holder or the fingerprint of another, placed upon the back of the newly substituted photograph. This procedure represents a potential breach of security. Accordingly, a rapid, efficient and inexpensive method of thwarting this procedure is desirable. Such method is also applicable to cards bearing a fingerprint, but not employing a photo.